UNITED INTO FA TROPHY FINAL

Cambridge United will take on Gosport Borough in the FA Trophy final at Wembley after seeing off Grimsby Town in a tense semi-final.

The U's secured a 1-1 draw at Blundell Park this afternoon to go through 3-2 on aggregate, having won last Saturday's first leg at the R Costings Abbey Stadium 2-1.

Boss Richard Money made one change to the side that drew 0-0 with Wrexham in midweek, with the injured Tom Elliott dropping out of the squad, and Andy Pugh coming in to the starting line-up. On the bench there was a welcome return for Tom Bonner following an ankle injury sustained in January.

United made a fast start, with Tom Champion and Luke Berry going close before Ryan Bird opened the scoring in the ninth minute. Pugh was the architect, playing a superb through ball to the on-loan Portsmouth striker, who kept his cool to beat James McKeown.

Berry hit the bar shortly afterwards following a good pull-back from Greg Taylor, and at that point United were firmly in command.

But the Mariners grew into the game as the half progressed, and grabbed themselves a life-line three minutes before the break through Scott Neilson, who beat Will Norris with a well-placed half-volley.

Unsurprisingly, the home side exerted plenty of pressure in the second period, but United held on, Norris making one excellent point-blank save to foil Ross Hannah.

Following three minutes of stoppage time the referee blew the final whistle, sending the travelling Amber Army into raptures. They can look forward to the final against Gosport, of the Skrill South, on Sunday, March 23.